Apprenticeship Council Report on New Apprenticeship Programme Proposals

In May 2013, the then Minister for Education and Skills announced a wide ranging review of apprenticeship in Ireland. The review was undertaken by an independent Review Group under the chairmanship of Kevin Duffy. The objective of the review was to “examine the future of apprenticeship training in Ireland with a greater focus on a work based learning and a closer alignment of the current needs if the Irish labour market”. The Apprenticeship Review took place in the context of a wider reform programme in education and training, including major structural change in further education and training, the establishment of SOLAS and the development of new national strategies in both further and higher education. Apprenticeship was defined by the Apprenticeship Review Group as a programme of structured education and training, which formally combines and alternates learning in the work place with learning in an education or training centre, (a dual system i.e. a blended combination of on-the-job employer-based training and off-the-job training) whose completion - Prepares the participant for a specific occupation - Leads to an award, recognised under the National Framework of Qualifications from Level 5 to Level 1

An Action Plan for SOLAS

Ireland’s further education and training system faces major challenges at a time of severe economic crisis. The unprecedented level of unemployment -14.8% of our labour force is unemployed - has resulted in significantly increased demand for education and training. More and more people are seeking to upskill or reskill in order to enter or re-enter the labour market and the need to upskill those who have lost their jobs has become obvious to us all. The Government is re-inventing Ireland’s economy so that it is competitive, sustainable and provides opportunities for all to secure employment. The State has a fundamental role in this challenge and there is a particular need to respond with activation measures that provide clear and purposeful pathways to employment, either directly or via further and higher education and training